Shoe Having Plurality of Channels

ABSTRACT

A shoe comprising a sole and an upper on the sole. The sole comprises an insole, a midsole, and an outsole. The insole has a plurality of through holes extending from the insole top surface to the insole bottom surface. The midsole top surface comprises at least one longitudinal channel and a plurality of transverse channels. Each of the plurality of transverse channels intersect with the at least one longitudinal channel. The midsole further comprises pluralities of medial and lateral ports. Each port of the pluralities of medial and lateral ports are in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels. The plurality of through holes, the at least one longitudinal channel, the plurality of transverse channels, and the pluralities of medial and lateral ports are in fluid communication and adapted and configured to convey water from the insole out of the medial and lateral ports.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to a shoe having a plurality of channels.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the disclosure is a shoe comprising a sole and an upper on the sole. The sole has a sole heel end and a sole toe end. The sole extends longitudinally from the sole heel end ot the sole toe end. The sole has a lateral side extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole toe end and a medial side extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole toe end. The sole extends transversely from the lateral side to the medial side. The sole includes a sole heel region, a sole midfoot region, a sole forefoot region, and a sole toe region. The sole heel region extends longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole midfoot region. The sole midfoot region extends longitudinally from the sole heel region to the sole forefoot region. The sole forefoot region extends longitudinally from the sole midfoot region to the sole toe region. The sole toe region extends longitudinally from the sole forefoot region to the sole toe end. The sole comprises an insole, a midsole, and an outsole. The insole is between the upper and the midsole. The midsole is between the insole and the outsole. The insole has an insole top surface and an insole bottom surface. The insole has a plurality of through holes. Each of the plurality of through holes extend from the insole top surface to the insole bottom surface. The midsole has a midsole top surface and a midsole bottom surface. The midsole top surface comprises at least one longitudinal channel and a plurality of transverse channels. The at least one longitudinal channel extends from the sole heel region to the sole toe region. Each channel of the plurality of transverse channels extends between the medial and lateral sides of the sole. Each of the plurality of transverse channels intersect with the at least one longitudinal channel. The midsole further comprises a plurality of medial ports and a plurality of lateral ports. Each port of the plurality of medial ports extends from the medial side of the midsole inward toward the lateral side of the midsole. Each port of the plurality of lateral ports extends from the lateral side of the midsole inward toward the medial side of the of the midsole. Each port of the plurality of medial ports are in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels. Each port of the plurality of lateral ports are in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels. The plurality of through holes, the at least one longitudinal channel, the plurality of transverse channels, the plurality of medial ports, and the plurality of lateral ports are in fluid communication and adapted and configured to convey water from the insole out of the medial and lateral ports.

Further features and advantages, as well as the operation, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of a shoe of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a rear isometric view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a front view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 is a top view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 is a top view of the midsole of the shoe of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 10 is a section view of the shoe of FIG. 1 taken along the line 10-10 in FIG. 8 , with the upper removed.

FIG. 11 is a section view of the shoe of FIG. 1 taken along the line 11-11 in FIG. 8 , with the upper removed.

FIG. 12 is a section view of the shoe of FIG. 1 taken along the line 12-12 in FIG. 8 , with the upper removed.

FIG. 13 is a section view of the shoe of FIG. 1 taken along the line 13-13 in FIG. 8 , with the upper removed.

Reference numerals in the written specification and in the figures indicate corresponding items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a shoe in accordance with the present disclosure is indicated generally by reference number 20. The shoe 20 has a sole 22 and an upper 24 on the sole. The sole 22 has a sole heel end 26 and a sole toe end 28. The sole 22 extends longitudinally from the sole heel end 26 to the sole toe end 28. The sole has a lateral side 30 extending longitudinally from the sole heel end 26 to the sole toe end 28 and a medial side 32 extending longitudinally from the sole heel end 26 to the sole toe end 28. The sole 22 extends transversely from the lateral side 26 to the medial side 28. The sole includes a sole heel region 34, a sole midfoot region 36, a sole forefoot region 38, and a sole toe region 40. The sole heel region 34 extends longitudinally from the sole heel end 26 to the sole midfoot region 36. The sole midfoot region 36 extends longitudinally from the sole heel region 34 to the sole forefoot region 38. The sole forefoot region 38 extends longitudinally from the sole midfoot region 36 to the sole toe region 40. The sole toe region 40 extends longitudinally from the sole forefoot region 38 to the sole toe end 28.

The sole 22 comprises an insole 42, a midsole 44, and an outsole 46. The insole 42 is between the upper 24 and the midsole 44. The midsole 44 is between the insole 42 and the outsole 46.

The insole 42 has an insole top surface 48 and an insole bottom surface 50. The insole 42 has a plurality of through holes 52. Each of the plurality of through holes 52 extends from the insole top surface 48 to the insole bottom surface 50. The insole 42 may comprise a closed cell foam. The plurality of through holes may each have a diameter from 3 to 6 millimeters, but it should be understood that the diameters of the plurality of through holes could be smaller (e.g., 2 millimeters) or larger (e.g. 9 millimeters).

The midsole 44 has a midsole top surface 54 and a midsole bottom surface 56. The midsole top surface 54 comprises at least one longitudinal channel 58 and a plurality of transverse channels 60. The at least one longitudinal channel 58 extends from the sole heel region 34 to the sole toe region 40. Each of the plurality of transverse channels 60 extend between the medial and lateral sides 32, 30 of the sole. Each of the plurality of transverse channels 60 intersect with the at least one longitudinal channel 58.

The at least one longitudinal channel 58 may comprise two longitudinal channels. If such is the case, each of the longitudinal channels 58 has a heel end 66 in the heel region of the sole and a toe end 68 in the toe region of the sole. The heel ends 66 of the longitudinal channels are in fluid communication with each other. The toe ends 68 of the longitudinal channels are in fluid communication with each other. The plurality of transverse channels 60 may comprise two, three, four, five, six, seven, or more transverse channels. The plurality of transverse channels 60 may comprise at least one transverse channel in the sole heel region 34, at least one transverse channel in the sole forefoot region 38, and at least one transverse channel in the sole toe region 40. The sole midfoot region 36 of the midsole top surface 48 may be devoid of transverse channels

The midsole further comprises a plurality of medial ports 62 and a plurality of lateral ports 64. Each port of the plurality of medial ports 62 extends from the medial side 32 of the midsole 44 inward toward the lateral side 30 of the midsole 44. Each port of the plurality of lateral ports 64 extends from the lateral side 30 of the midsole 44 inward toward the medial side 32 of the midsole 44. Each port of the plurality of medial ports 62 is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels 60. Each port of the plurality of lateral ports 64 is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels 60.

The plurality of medial ports 62 may comprise at least seven ports, and the plurality of lateral ports 64 may comprise at least seven ports. Preferably the number of medial ports and the number of lateral ports correspond to the number of transverse channels.

The plurality of through holes 52, the at least one longitudinal channel 58, the plurality of transverse channels 60, the plurality of medial ports 62, and the plurality of lateral ports 64 are in fluid communication and are adapted and configured to convey water from the insole 42 out the medial and lateral ports 62, 64.

The shoe 20 may also comprise a strobel board (not shown) that is between the insole and the midsole. The strobel board is adapted and configured to convey water through the strobel board, i.e., from the top surface of the strobel board out the bottom surface of the strobel board. The strobel board may be of a water permeable material (e.g., mesh), or may have through holes extending from the top surface of the board to the bottom surface of the board, with the strobel board holes aligning with the holes 52 of the insole 42.. The plurality of through holes 52, the strobel board (not shown), the at least one longitudinal channel 58, the plurality of transverse channels 60, the plurality of medial ports 62, and the plurality of lateral ports 64 are in fluid communication and are adapted and configured to convey water from the insole 42 out the medial and lateral ports 62, 64.

The outsole 46 has a top surface 70 and a bottom surface 72. The outsole may comprise a plurality of transverse grooves 74 on the outsole bottom surface 72. Each of the plurality of transverse grooves 74 is sized and positioned to generally correspond with the size and position of one of the plurality of transverse channels 60. At least some of the transverse grooves 74 may have a depth that extends from the outsole bottom surface 72 through the outsole top surface 70 such that at least a portion of the midsole 44 is visible through the plurality of transverse grooves 74 when the shoe is seen from a bottom plan view.

In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the invention has several advantages over the prior art.

It should also be understood that when introducing elements of the present invention in the claims or in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, the terms ″comprising,″ ″including,″ and ″having″ are intended to be openended and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, the term ″portion″ should be construed as meaning some or all of the item or element that it qualifies. Moreover, use of identifiers such as first, second, and third should not be construed in a manner imposing any relative position or time sequence between limitations.

As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe comprising: a sole; and an upper on the sole; the sole having a sole heel end and a sole toe end, the sole extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole having a lateral side extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole toe end and a medial side extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole extending transversely from the lateral side to the medial side, the sole including a sole heel region, a sole midfoot region, a sole forefoot region, and a sole toe region, the sole heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole midfoot region, the sole midfoot region extending longitudinally from the sole heel region to the sole forefoot region, the sole forefoot region extending longitudinally from the sole midfoot region to the sole toe region, the sole toe region extending longitudinally from the sole forefoot region to the sole toe end; the sole comprising an insole, a midsole, and an outsole, the insole being between the upper and the midsole, the midsole being between the insole and the outsole; the insole having an insole top surface and an insole bottom surface, the insole having a plurality of through holes, each of the plurality of through holes extending from the insole top surface to the insole bottom surface; the midsole having a midsole top surface and a midsole bottom surface, the midsole top surface comprising at least one longitudinal channel and a plurality of transverse channels, the at least one longitudinal channel extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region, each channel of the plurality of transverse channels extending between the medial and lateral sides of the sole, each of the plurality of transverse channels intersecting with the at least one longitudinal channel, the midsole further comprising a plurality of medial ports and a plurality of lateral ports, each port of the plurality of medial ports extending from the medial side of the midsole inward toward the lateral side of the midsole, each port of the plurality of lateral ports extending from the lateral side of the midsole inward toward the medial side of the midsole, each port of the plurality of medial ports being in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels, each port of the plurality of medial ports being in fluid communication with one of the plurality of transverse channels, the plurality of through holes, the at least one longitudinal channel, the plurality of transverse channels, the plurality of medial ports, and the plurality of lateral ports being in fluid communication and adapted and configured to convey water from the insole out the medial and lateral ports.
 2. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the insole comprises a closed cell foam.
 3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the plurality of through holes each have a diameter between 2 millimeters and 9 millimeters.
 4. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the plurality of through holes each have a diameter between 3 millimeters and 6 millimeters.
 5. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the at least one longitudinal channel comprises two longitudinal channels.
 6. The shoe of claim 5 wherein each of the longitudinal channels has a heel end and a toe end, the heel ends of each of the longitudinal channels being in fluid communication with each other, the toe ends of each of the longitudinal channels being in fluid communication with each other.
 7. The shoe of claim 6 wherein the plurality of transverse channels comprises at least seven transverse channels.
 8. The shoe of claim 7 wherein the plurality of medial ports comprises at least seven ports, and wherein the plurality of lateral ports comprises at least seven ports.
 9. The shoe of claim 6 wherein the plurality of transverse channels comprises at least one transverse channel in the sole heel region, at least one transverse channel in the sole forefoot region, and at least one transverse channel in the sole toe region.
 10. The sole of claim 9 wherein the sole midfoot region of midsole top surface is devoid of transverse channels.
 11. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the outsole has an outsole top surface and an outsole bottom surface, the outsole further comprises a plurality of transverse grooves on the outsole bottom surface, each of the plurality of transverse grooves being sized and positioned to generally correspond with the size and position of one of the plurality of transverse channels.
 12. The shoe of claim 11 wherein each of at least some of the transverse grooves of the plurality of transverse grooves has a depth that extends from the outsole bottom surface through the outsole top surface such that at least a portion of the midsole is visible through each of the plurality of transverse grooves when the shoe is seen from a bottom plan view. 